Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Billy Elliot by Melvin Burgess

Billy Elliot is the complicated tale of a boy who's brother and their father and his father before him and his father before him, picked up a pair of boxing gloves every weekend, but Billy chose to hang up the gloves and strap on a pair of ballet shoes.
Billy lives in a town in the UK that is in the middle of a miner's strike. Billy's father, Jackie Elliot, and his brother, Tony, are immersed in this situation. They are two of the miners who feel strongly about and will not put up with Thatcher's (the boss) ways. Billy tries not to get in the way while his father is busy striking for better wages but when his father finds out that Billy has put down the boxing gloves and picks up ballet shoes, this raises tensions in the family.
Jackie Elliot wants a better life for his boys and that is why he is so involved in the strike. He would do anything to get this for his boys. At the beginning it appears that Tony is self obsessed but the reality is that he wants a better life for himself and his family. Billy wants to make his dad proud but feels that he cannot do that in a pair of ballet shoes so hides his dream. After huge personality struggles within the family, Billy is allowed to persue his deam.
The book was very interesting in the way it was written. It goes through the book relaying the story from the different perspectives of the individual main characters, showing us the story through their eyes and thoughts.
Billy Elliot shows us that passion, determination and hope will triumph especially when family and love are on your side.
Billy Elliot is an easy book to read because once you start it takes you away. I recommend this entertaining book to young teens.

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